Jenni Murray: Robin Gibb didn’t lose any ‘battle’ – The Independent

Comments on the use of the expression ‘battling’ cancer, and the negative implications for some (Susan Sontag made most of her book a critique of war and battle terminology). But we all pick short form metaphors to try to capture the experience, and the media is no different. Quote:

So, please, no more talk of “the big C” as a war zone. RIP Robin Gibb with an acknowledgement that he drew the short straw of a difficult disease and a sigh of relief from those of us who are “staying alive” that we were just lucky to get a kinder type of cancer.